Ambibili tree
Kibara coriacea

Family: Monimiaceae

What it is like

A tree. It can grow up to 22 m tall. The trunk is 15 cm across. The bark is smooth and pale grey. The leaves are opposite and broadly oval. They are 7-17 cm long by 4-10 cm wide. The base is wedge shaped. The floweres are in groups in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. The male flowers are at the end and the female flowers near the base. The male flowers are rounded and 2 mm across and female flowers are larger. The fruit is oval and fleshy. It is 2 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. It turns deep blue or black as it ripens. It is on a short, swollen, orange stalk. The fruit are in clusters of 3-13.

There are about 40 Kibara species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland forests and swamp forests and on coral limestone. It grows from sea level to 1,600 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andamans, Asia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand

How it is used for food

The leaves are used to flavour meat dishes.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves - flavour

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ambibiliw, Labak, Pohon ambibili

Synonyms

Brongniartia coriacea Blume; Kibara angustifolia Perkins; Kibara blumei Steud.; Kibara chartacea Blume; Kibara clemensiae Perkins; Kibara cuspidata Blume; Kibara dichasialis Suesseng. & Heine; Kibara ellipsoidea Merr.; Kibara grandifolia Merr.; Kibara inamoena Perkins; Kibara longipes Perkins; Kibara macrocarpa Perkins; Kibara macrophylla Perkins; Kibara merrilliana Perkins; Kibara mollis Merr.; Kibara motleyi Perkins; Kibara schlechteri Perkins; Kibara serrulata Perkins; Kibara stapfiana Perkins; Kibara tomentosa Perkins; Kibara trichantha Perkins; Kibara vidalii Perkins; Kibara warburgii Perkins; Mollinedia coriacea (Blume) Baill.; Sarcodiscus chloranthiformis Griff.; Sciadocarpus brongniartii Hassk.;